Strand knotting apparatus



N 6, 1965 R. P. DOERER ETAL 3,217,759

STRAND KNOTTING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 23. 1960 INVENTORS R/cmuw P Dome/e BY HERMAN QGUENTHER Nov. 16, 1965 R. P. DOERER ETAL STRAND KNOTTING APPARATUS Original Filed June 25, 1960 1965 R. P. DOERER ETAL 3,217,759

STRAND KNO'I'TING APPARATUS Original Filed June 25, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 6 spi INVENTORS RICHARD P Dos/9512 BY HfRMAN G. Gui/VH5? 4 TTORNEVS Nov. 16, 1965 R. P. DOERER ETAL 3,217,759

STRAND KNOTTING APPARATUS Original Filed June 23, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 0 26.2 416 366 B 9 9 432 7 L' 1- 3 570a. ma 4 INVENTORS 43 374 R/cumw P Dome? 370 BY Hum/v G. Gus/mm? 371 Nov. 16, 1965 R. P. DOERER ETAL 3,217,759

STRAND KNOTTING APPARATUS Original Filed June 23, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 m; IMF

5 E E Q Q E 3 3 8 a i T l J I i :I '51 E I} I III IN VEN TORS R/cHARo P Dome/2 BY Hum/v G. GU/VTHER Nov. 16, 1965 P, DOERER ETAL 3,217,759

STRAND KNOTTING APPARATUS Original Filed June 23, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 456 1 INVENTORS 54 y HERMAN 6.60am

, MQ AMA 3,217,759 STRAND KNOTTING APPARATUS Richard P. Doerer, Ypsilanti, Mich, and Herman G. Guenther, Bakersfield, Calif., assignors to Van Dresser Specialty Corporation, Warren, Mich., a corpoartion of Michigan Original application June 23, 1960, Ser. No. 38,402. Divided and this application Oct. 15, 1964, Ser. No.

20 Claims. (Cl. 140-101 This invention relates generally to apparatus for making a strand-reinforced panel and refers more particularly to mechanism for knotting the strand ends, forming part of the over-all apparatus.

This application is a division of our co-pending application Serial No. 38,402 filed June 23, 1960.

Reinforced fabric panels of the type described herein are manufactured by inserting elongated reinforcing strands into a web or panel of the fabric. A reinforced panel of this type may serve as an insulator between the overlying padding and underlying spring structure of an upholstered assembly, for example.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide apparatus for twisting or knotting the ends of a strand, such as a reinforcing strand in a piece of material such as burlap.

Another object is to provide means for severing a portion of the strand from the remainder thereof and twisting the severed end.

Another object is to provide twisting or knotting apparatus including a rotary bending element.

Another object is to provide a mandrel for the bending element around which the loop is formed.

Another object is to provide means for flattening the end of the strand for knotting.

Another object is to provide a back-up element for engaging and supporting the strand near the end to be twisted.

Another object is to provide means for simultaneously knotting the ends of a plurality of strands.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a strand reinforced fabric panel formed by the apparatus shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, with the left hand portion of the panel enlarged.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view diagrammatically showing the apparatus for forming the strand reinforced panels of FIGURE 1, indicating also the positions of various fabric panels as they are advanced through the apparatus.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of portions of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3, including the pleater.

FIGURE 5 is an elevation of the structure shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the wire spiralling apparatus taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 77 of FIGURE 4 showing one of the knotting devices.

FIGURE 8 is an elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 8 in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 4, showing the other knotter.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic view of certain operating components of the pleater structure in retracted position.

nited States Patent 0 3,217,759 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 but showing the components in an intermediate position.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view showing the needle and strand structure between the pleater elements.

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view showing the operations performed on a fabric panel by the apparatus of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially to FIGURES l and 2, there is illustrated an insulator pad or panel 10 comprising a length of burlap 12 having its edge portions extended over strips 14. The strips 14 may be of paper or other suitable material and extend beyond the edges of the burlap and are turned onto the upper face of the burlap as shown at 16 in FIGURE 2. The turned edge portions 16 are suitably secured to the burlap, for example by gluing, stapling or sewing. To reinforce the panel, a number of strands of wire 20 are provided, each of which may if desired be undulatory or spiral in configuration as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

In order that the ends of the reinforcing strands 20 do not unduly project from the surface of the burlap, the reinforcing strands are preferably knotted at their ends as shown at 22 in FIGURE 1. By utilizing strips 14 as shown, the wire knots are shielded so as not to form sharp projections which might prove a safety hazard in handling of the panels and which might undesirably lock adjacent panels together when they are stacked on one another.

Several operations are required to form the articles shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Thus, the burlap is cut to size, the strands 20 may be given an undulatory configuration and threaded through the burlap, the end portions of the wire strands are knotted, the strips 14 are applied to the burlap-strand assembly and folded over the edges thereof, and the entire assembly is adhered together at 18.

Referring to FIGURE 14, the fabric burlap material is taken from a supply reel 24 and advanced beneath a vertically reciprocating cutter 86 which cuts it into individual panels of a predetermined dimension (in the arrow 87 direction). The conveyor means at 70 locates each panel at a predetermined point thereon, and introduces each panel into a pleater mechanism which automatically gives the panel a pleated condition as shown at 263.

While the panel is still in a pleated condition hollow pointed tubes or needles 344 are passed transversely through the pleats in the arrow 345 direction. Immediately thereafter the rolls 142 and 146 are rotated to drive wire strands 20 into the hollow needles. It will be noted that the wire strands are taken from supply reels 349 in non-undulatory conditions and if desired are undulated in the undulation-producing mechanism generally designated by numeral 101. FIGURE 14 shows only one needle and one wire strand, but it will be appreciated from a study of FIGURE 3 that in actual practice a multiplicity of the needle-strand arrangements are utilized.

It will be appreciated that hollow tubes 344 act as guides to permit the wire strands to be rapidly advanced into and through the panel pleats. When the strands have been advanced into the tubes (or while they are being advanced therein) the tubes are retracted from the pleats, leaving the strands embedded or extended within the pleats. The strands are then cut and knotted at both ends by automatic mechanisms 367 and 360.

After the knotting operations the panel-strand assembly (with the panel still in a pleated condition) is advanced into position beneath rollers 510 which rotate about fixed axes to iron out the panel pleats and return the panel to a flat condition.

The panel is then advanced through the space between two traveling strips 14 which are taken from supply reels 30 and folded about the fabric panel edges by means of the folder structure 542.

The panel assembly is subsequently advanced over the adhering mechanism shown in FIGURE 14 as comprising the automatic stapling guns 634. The strips 14 are at this time still in the form of continuous strips, and such strips are therefore cut through at appropriate points by the automatic cutters 646.

As the last operation the complete panel assembly is passed onto the trap doors 674 and 672, which automatically swing down at a preappointed time to discharge the assembly into a shipping carton 694. When the carton is filled with a certain number or weight of panels it is replaced with an empty carton.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the burlap is supplied from a reel 24 by a suitable feed roll, not shown, which is driven by any source of power. An idler roll 38 overlies and conceals the feed roll in FIGURE 3 and serves to maintain the burlap in driven engagement with the feed roll. The burlap moves through a trough 42 which serves as an accumulator space for maintaining a web supply for the cut-off structure or knife generally indicated at 86.

The burlap is fed from the bin by a rubber coated driver roll 46 and a rubber coated idler roll 48. The arrangement is such that as rolls 46 and 48 draw burlap from the trough, a switch is operated to energize the motor for the feed roll associated with idler roll 38 to replenish the supply of burlap in the trough.

The driver roll 46 is operated intermittently to advance the burlap a predetermined distance beyond the cutter or knife 86. After each intermittent advance of the continuous burlap web by the driver roll 46, the knife is operated to sever a panel of burlap from the leading end of the web, and the severed panel is deposited on and received by the conveyor chains 70 which extend longitudinally of the apparatus in laterally spaced relation, being trained over sprockets n the shaft 66 adjacent the cutter and sprockets on the shaft 57 spaced from the shaft 66 in the direction of advance of the fabric through the apparatus, or to the right as shown in FIGURES 3 and 14.

The conveyor chains are driven so that their parallel top flights, which lie in a common horizontal plane, move to the right as viewed in FIGURES 3 and 14. The chains 70 are synchronized with the driver roll 46 so that they advance the panels deposited thereon a distance equal to the advance or feed of the web of burlap by driver roll 46, the intermittent operation of the chains 70 occurring at the same time as the intermittent feed of the burlap by roll 46. Preferably the chains 70 are also briefly operated between intermittent operations of the web driving roll 46- to advance the cut panel deposited thereon a predetermined distance to provide the desired spacing between panels. The drive mechanisms for the roll 46 and for the chains 70, and the synchronization thereof are fully described in our co-pending application Serial No. 38,402.

As an illustrative example, the roll 46 and chains 70 may be simultaneously actuated to advance the burlap supply past the upraised shear blade 86 a distance of 22 inches, and to carry a previously cut panel 12b for the same distance along the conveyor chains. While the roll 46 then remains motionless, the shear blade 86 is operated to cut a 22 inch panel 12a from the burlap supply which is deposited on the rear end of the chains 70. Thereupon the chains 76 are again operated to shift the cut panel 12a downstream, or to the right, by a predetermined amount, as for example 8 inches. During this time the roll 46 remains motionless. Thereafter, this same cycle is repeated over and over. The chains have longitudinally spaced barbs 71 (FIG. 12) thereon to hold the burlap in fixed positions.

Chains 76 are of a length sufficient to carry the burlap from the burlap panel cutter 86 through a pleating station,

needle insertion, wire advancement station, needle retraction station, wire knotting station, and burlap unpleating station. As each panel is moved by the chains 711 it initially passes into the pleater station 96, the function of which is to distort the panel into a wave-like configuration as shown at 263 in FIGURE 14 to permit the wire strands 20 to be threaded there-through.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the wire strands are supplied from suitable reels 98, there being one reel for each strand to be threaded into the panel. The illustrated machine is designed to simultaneously thread 18 wire strands into the panel, and there are therefore employed l8 supply reels 98 for the individual strands. Each strand as it comes from its reel is not undulatory, and it may be given an undulatory shape before threading through the panel. The mechanism for giving each wire strand an undulatory or spiral configuration is diagrammatically illustrated at 161 in FIGURES 3 and 14. This mechanism is shown in detail in FIGURE 6.

Referring to FIGURES 5 and 14, the fixed housing structure 100 carries the wire feed mechanism. Each wire is fed from its reel through the undulating device 101 and into the pleated fabric by the cooperating discs 142 and 146, the wire being gripped between the peripheries of the discs. In FIGURE 14, only one pair of discs 14?. and 146 for each wire is shown, but preferably two pairs of such discs are provided, as shown in FIGURE 5. A fluid cylinder 150 has a piston rod 152 provided with a rack 154 meshed with gear 156. By a series of distance multiplying gears 158 through 164, a multiplied movement is transmitted to chain 166. Chain 166 drives a shaft which carries a series of gears 1170 (18 in the illustrated embodiment), the arrangement being such that each gear 176 meshes with the geared portions of the discs 146 to drive them clockwise (in FIG. 5). The discs 146 are respectively geared to the discs 142 so that as a result the individual wire strands are fed from their respective reels through the undulatory device 101 and into the pleated panel. Suitable one-way clutch means is located in the drive from rack 154 and chain 166 such that reverse movement of the rack will not reverse rotate the discs 142 and 146.

The cylinder 150 is operated to intermittently feed the 18 Wire strands simultaneously from their respective reels. After each feeding movement of the wire strands, the bar 141 extending across the wire strands descends by gravity and pulls a fresh supply of wire from the reels R3. If the wire on any reel becomes tangled so that it will not readily pull from the reel, that particular strand will remain taut and will prevent the gravitational descent of the bar 141. The bar 141 is connected with a suitable safety shut-off mechanism 131, the arrangement being such that failure of the bar 141 to descend at the dictated time will halt the cycle. The attendant may then take care of any entanglements.

The strand spiralling mechanism 101 is provided to impart a spiral configuration to the wire strands which are of course straight when they leave the cooperating discs 142 and 146 of the Wire feed mechanism. The spiralling mechanism comprises a base 174 having a series of 18 separate block elements or supports 176 adjustably secured thereon by means of set screws 178 which extend through a cover plate 180. The cover plate 136 extends laterally over all of the various block elements or supports 176 and is fixedly secured to the base 174 by a plurality of spaced screws 132. Spacers (not shown) are provided at the ends of the base 174 and cover plate to hold the two in the spaced positions illustrated in FIG- URE 6.

The downstream face of each support or block element 176 is provided with an enlarged bore, and one end portion of a former rod 186 is closely received and secured in the bore by a suitable set screw as shown. Each rod 186 is provided in its outer surface with a straight groove portion 188 which extends from the end thereof received in the bloclcelement 176 and leads to a spiral groove portion 190 which extends entirely to the opposite or downstream end of the rod. The arrangement is such that as the wire strand is fed into the groove portion 190 by the action of the discs 142 and 146 of the wire feed mechanism it is twisted into a spiral configuration. Former rod 186 extends through a tubular member or sleeve 192, the internal surface of which closely surrounds the rod and cooperates with the groove portion 190 in forming a spiral passageway for the strand. It will be understood that the bore of block element 176 in which the end of the former rod is received cooperates with the straight groove portion 188 to complete the definition of the passageway for the strand. In order to minimize wear on the internal surface of sleeve 192, the sleeve preferably has a rotatable fit on the rod 186 so that the sleeve can turn under the influence of the advancing strand whereby different portions of the internal surface of the sleeve are presented to the spiral groove portion 190 during successive spiralling operations so as to prolong the life of the sleeve. In this connection, it will be appreciated that the strand spiralling operations are carried out at relatively high speeds, and the abrasive action on the sleeve may become excessive.

A second rod 196 is provided which is aligned with rod 186 and in substantial end to end abutting relation therewith. The rod 196 is slightly larger in diameter than the rod 186 and has in its outer surface a spiral groove 194 extending from end to end thereof. The end of the spiral groove portion 190 in rod 186 registers with the end of spiral groove 194 so that a strand can pass continuously through the two grooves in sequence. Each rod 196 is closely received within a bore in a block or support 198 and secured thereto by means of a set screw as shown. The internal passage or bore in the block 198 closely surrounds the rod 196 and cooperates with the groove 194 to define a passageway for the stand. The upper face of each block 198 is provided with a pair of V-shaped grooves 200 which form cam surfaces for cooperation with the conical end portions of set screws 202. Accordingly, the block 198 may be adjusted in the direction of length of rod 196, that is in the direction of the arrow 284. When in the desired position of axial adjustment, the screws 202 may be advanced into the V-shaped grooves 201) to lock the adjustment. Preferably the position of the block 198 is such that the rods 186 and 196 substantially abut in end to end relation as shown, so that there is a minimum clearance between the sleeve 192 and the end face of block 198. The end of sleeve 192 should have a slight clearance with the block 198 and with the end of rod 196 so that the sleeve is free to rotate and not clamp against the downstream face of block 176.

The right end portion of block 198 as shown in FIG- URE 6 carries a cut-off block 206 which defines a face 208 located to be traversed by a reciprocating cutter 210. It Will be understood that at a predetermined point in the operating cycle, the cutter 210 will be moved downwardly across the cut-off block to sever a length of the formed spiral strand.

As seen in FIGURE 6, the major diameter of the groove 194 is slightly greater than the major diameter of the groove 190. Also the pitch of the groove 194 as denoted by dimension 214, is greater than the pitch of groove 190 as denoted by dimension 215. These differences are designed to accommodate the tendency of the wire strand to spring back after its deformation in groove 190. The diameter and pitch of groove 194 will accommodate sub stantially all of the spring-back so that the wire strand in groove 194 is unstressed, and a precise length thereof will be discharged past the block 266 during each operating cycle. In this manner the subsequent operations on the strand are more accurately performed and the resultant product (FIGS. 1 and 2) is more uniform.

As seen in FIGURE 6, the block 176 is formed with concave surfaces 392 which are substantially concentric with the dies 142 and 146 and extend in between the discs. The edge where the concave surfaces meet extends into the bite between the discs. A passage 393 in block 176 extends from the edge Where the concave surfaces meet, to the passage formed by the strand portion 188 of the groove in rod 136 and is aligned with groove portion 188. Hence a wire strand fed from the discs 142 and 146 enters the spiralling mechanism through the passage 393 and is fed continuously through the spiral passages provided by the rods 186 and 196 to be given the desired spiral configuration.

The undulating or spiralling mechanism 101 shown in FIGURE 6 may be employed with some or all of the strands, that is some of the strands may be fed into the fabric panel without being spiralled and some of the strands may be given different undulatory shapes than that produced by the mechanism of FIGURE 6. Also, some of the strands may be of relatively heavy gauge, and some may be of relatively light gauge in accordance with different characteristics to be given to different areas of the final product. Those other strands which are to be given the same spiral configuration as the strand shown in FIG- URE 6 will of course be formed to spiral configuration by similar apparatus to that shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, it will be seen that after the individual wire strands have been fed through the device 101, they are forced into a pleater station 96 which operates to form and maintain the burlap panel in a pleated condition during insertion of the wire strands.

The pleater operation may best be visualized by referring to schematic illustrations in FIGURES 11 and 12. As shown in FIGURE 11, the burlap panel 12c is supported on the conveyor chains 7 0. Disposed beneath and between the various chains 70 are the elongated lower pleater elements or bars 284 which are each of a length corresponding to the cut length of the panel (that is the dimension in the direction of arrow 87 in FIGURE 14) plus an appropriate factor or margin. The various pleater bars 284 are carried on an elevator 288, and when the elevator is raised from its FIGURE 11 position to its FIG- URE 12 position the various pleater bars 284 are projected upwardly between the chains 70 so as to lift the burlap panel from the chains as shown in FIGURE 12. In its FIGURE 12 position the panel is located very closely adjacent to the lower edges of an upper set of pleater bars 262. There are provided a center pleater bar, designated by numeral 276, and additional pleater bars on both sides thereof. The pleater bars at the left of center pleater bar 276, as well as center pleater bar 276, are notched at their upper edges to form cam surfaces 390 for causing the bars to be cammed downwardly by leftward movement of the overlying cam bar 271. The pleater bars at the right of center pleater bar 276, as well as center pleater bar 276, are suitably notched at their upper edges to form cam surfaces 391 for causing the bars to be cammed downwardly by rightward movement of cam bar 274. The cam bars 271 and 2'74 are shown retracted in FIGURES 11 and 12, and the pleater bars over which they extend when retracted are suitably notched to clear the cam bars. Suitable spring means, not shown, are provided to retract the upper set of pleater elements 262 to the FIGURE 11 position when the cam bars are retracted as illustrated.

In the preferred operation the cam members or bars 271 and 274 are moved simultaneously in opposite directions so as to cross one another and sequentially depress the various pleater bars in the upper set of bars, beginning from the center pleater bar 276 and continuing laterally outwardly with depressions of successive bars on both sides of the center pleater bar. The arrangement is such that initially the center pleater bar 276 is depressed downwardly so as to cooperate with the subjacent pleater bars to tightly grip the center area of the burlap panel. Therefore, as the other pleater bars come down successively the panel will maintain its position relative to the longitudinal center line of the machine such that very little lateral 7 bodily shifting of the panel will occur. Since the outermost pleater bars will not come down until the innermost pleater bars have been depressed there will be no excessive strain placed on the burlap such as might tear or deform the burlap fibers.

FIGURE 4 provides an elevational view of the pleater station which, as will be seen, comprises two ribbed beams 107 and 109' supported at their ends by pillars 111. A bridge structure 113 extends across the space between beams 107 and 109 to rigidify them and provide a support for housing 115. Cylinder 216 has a rod 218 which extends into housing 115 to operate cam bars 271 and 274 by suitable mechanism not shown.

The foregoing brief description provides a general outline of the mode of operation of the panel pleating structure. For a more detailed description reference is made to applicants co-pending parent application, Serial No. 38,402.

It will be noted from FIGURE 13 that the lower edge portion of each pleater element 262 is provided with a series of slots 3%. In the illustrated mechanism each of the pleater elements 262 is provided with eighteen slots corresponding in number to the number of wire strands to be inserted through the fabric pleats. Each of the pleater elements in the lower set of pleater elements 284 is provided with a corresponding number of slots 302 in its upper edge, the arrangement being such that when the pleaters are in their FIGURE 13 positions a series of eighteen passages is formed through the pleater element assembly.

The purpose of these passages is to permit hollow needle structures to be driven through the fabric pleats, said needle structures serving as guides for susbequent insertion of the spiral wire strands previously described.

Power for the needle insertion operation is derived from a fluid cylinder 306 shown in FIGURE 5. The piston rod for cylinder 306 carries a rack 3% which meshes with a gear 310 carried by the shaft of a larger gear 312. Gear 312 in turn meshes with a gear 314 carried by the shaft of a relatively large gear 316 which meshes with the gear 320 carried on the shaft of a larger gear 318. The gear 318 meshes with a rack 326 which is connected at one end to a cross-head 330 slidably supported on fixed guide rods 334. The cross-head 330 carries eighteen hollow needles 344, the arrangement being such that energization of cylinder 306 is effective to move rack 326 to the left as viewed in FIGURE to thereby carry the needles 344 through the pleater elements and pleated fabric panel as shown in FIGURE 13. The slots 300 and 302 in the adjacent edges of the pleater elements 262 and 284 line up transversely of the machine when the pleater elements are moved toward each other as shown in FIGURE 13 to provide elongated passages adapted to receive the respective needles. The needles are actually hollow tubes and are inserted through the pleated fabric prior to insertion of the wires to serve as guides and prevent deflection or jamming of the wires during insertion of the latter.

The leading edge of each needle is sharply pointed as at 360, with the edge portion 352 tapering back at a small angle to form a pointed end operative to easily penetrate the burlap panel during high speed insertion of the needle. When the needles are located within the pleater elements as shown in FIGURE 13, the cylinder 150' (FIGS. 4 and 5 is energized to feed the wire strands through the spiralling mechanism and into the hollow needles to the FIG- URE 13 position. The hollow needles protect the wire strands during insertion so they will not interfere with the burlap threads.

It is contemplated that the insertion of the needles will be completed before introduction of the wires into the pointed ends of the needles. However, the needles may retract during the advance of the wires, the most important aim being to have at least the ends of the wire strands within the needles as the strands are fed through the pleats. However, the needles may remain in the extended position within the pleater station during the entire strand advancing operation.

After insertion of the wire strands into the extended hollow needles, the hollow needles are withdrawn to leave the strands threaded through the pleats of the fabric panel. The wire strands will then be severed and knotted at both ends. Preferably, the strand knotting operation is performed at the conclusion of the strand insertion operation while the fabric is in a pleated condition. The left hand knotter mechanism is shown at 367 and the right hand knotter at 369.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the ends of the wire strands in the finished article are curled around or knotted. The strand knotting operation is preferably performed at the conclusion of the strand insertion operation while the fabric is in a pleated condition (FIG. 13). The leftmost knotter mechanism is 367 as shown in FIG- URES 79, and the rightmost knotter 369 is shown in FIGURE 10. The positions of these knotter mechanisms with respect to the other apparatus is best shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5.

Referring to FIGURE 7, the leftmost knotter comprises an elongated bed plate 371 having a series of spaced blocks 379 secured thereon to define eighteen separate grooves 373, the arrangement being such that one of the strands 26D travels through each groove in the direction of the arrow B during the strand insertion operation. The mechanism is shown in FIGURE 7 with the parts thereof in the positions they occupy during the knotting operation, and the space through which the strand travels during the strand insertion operation is therefore restricted by the knotter mechanisms.

Power for the knotting operation is derived from three sources. Thus, referring to FIGURES 4 and 5 there is provided a fluid cylinder 368 carried on a bracket-forming extension 370 of the elevator 288. The piston rod for cylinder 368 is connected with eighteen parallel plungers 372 (FIGS. 5 and 7) by means of a cross-head 377 so that energization of cylinder 3% is effective to move the plungers upwardly toward the bed plate 371 to the FIGURE 7 position. Each plunger 372 carries a pin-like mandrel element 374 which projects upwardly above the bed surface 366 to form a mandrel surface for bending of the wire strand therearound during the knotting operation. Each plunger also carries a pin 375 which functions as a back-up device for the wire strand during the knotting operation.

In order to bend the wire strands around mandrels 374 there is provided a pin-like bending element 376 carried on a rotary head 37S. Bearings are provided at 380 and 382 for rotatably supporting the head 378 in a carrier structure generally indicated by numeral 334. Power for rotation of the head 378 is derived from a fluid cylinder 385 and rack 386. The drive from rack 336 comprises a gear 388 carried on shaft 3%, a second gear 392 carried on shaft 3% and a rack 394 meshed with gear 392. The vertical face 3% of rack 3% is provided with a slot 398 which receives an extension dtltl of a relatively long rack 4%. It will be noted from FIGURE 8 that rack 386 is of a relatively short length. However, the rack 402 is long enough to span the entire bank of knotter heads 378, with the teeth thereof engaging the gear portions 4% of the individual heads 378 as shown in FIGURE 7.

It will be appreciated that movement of rack 386 (by cylinder 335) in one direction is effective to rotate all of the knotter heads 378 in one direction for effecting a strand knotting operation. Reverse movement of the rack 386 is effective to return the heads 378 to their initial positions.

Between successive knotting operations the carrier 384 is retracted upwardly away from the bed surface 366 by means of the fluid cylinder 4%. Cylinder 468 is mounted atop a bridge structure 4 10 located on an elongated housing 409. As will be seen from FIGURE 4, housing 409 is mounted at its opposite ends on the beams 107 and 109. The piston rod 412 for cylinder 408 is connected with a cross-head 414 which carries the two depending rods 416 at its opposite ends. portions of these rods are anchored to the carrier 384 by means of cross pins 418. The arrangement is such that pumping of fluid into the lower end of cylinder 408 is effective to raise the carrier 384 upwardly from bed surface 366 to permit passage of the wire strands over the bed surface and into the pleater elements.

After each pleater operation pressure fluid is pumped into the upper end of cylinder 408 to quickly lower carrier 384 toward surface 366. As the carrier nears surface 366 cutter 210 slices through the wire strand to cut Off the length thereof to the right of the cutter. During the cut-off operation the clamp structure 420 is effective to grip the wire and retain it in proper position for ensuring a clean cut at the desired location therealong. Clamp structure 420 comprises a series of spaced finger members 422 projecting downwardly from the carrier 384, the space between adjacent fingers being occupied by strand gripping elements 424, and the various strand gripping elements being pivotally mounted by means of a pin 426 extending through finger members 422. It will be understood that in a construction having eighteen wire strand feeders there will also be employed eighteen wire gripper elements 424.

Each of the wire gripper elements is individually biased in a downward direction by means of a compression spring 428, said spring operating on the gripper element via a hollow plunger 430. The operation is such that as the carrier 384 is lowered its pivotally mounted gripper elements 424 strike the wire strands and compress the springs 428 to thereby provide a tight grip on the strands irrespective of any slight variation in vertical dimension of the various gripper elements spacing of bed surface 366 from the carrier, or variation in strand thickness.

It will be noted that the tip of cutter 210 is located slightly below the lower face 432 of the knotter head 378. Face 432 acts as a presser element to cooperate with the upper face of the fixed bushing 434 in ironing out a short portion of the wire strand from its spiral configuration, the purpose being to prevent an intermediate portion of the wire strand from interfering with its extreme end portion during the knotting operation. In this connection the major diameter of the spiral strand convolution is in an illustrative case in the neighborhood of onequarter inch and the diameter of the wire is in the neighborhood of .040 inch. The movement of the carrier is preferably such as to leave a clearance of about .050 inch between face 432 and the upper face of bushing 434.

When rack 386 is moved to rotate the heads 378 the resultant rotation of each bending element 376 is such that a wire end portion adjacent cutter 210 is curled around the mandrel 374 and depressed into the annular opening 436 as the pin 376 nears the end of its rotary movement. Pin 376 is shown in FIGURE 7 adjacent the end of its movement. It initially takes a position spaced about one hundred eighty radial degrees from the FIGURE 7 position, so that it acts as a bending element for the end portion of the wire strand. During the final stage of the bending movement the end portion of the wire may cam against the registering wire portion to be deflected into the recess 436 so as to achieve the cross condition shown in FIGURE 1.

The compIete sequence of movements in operation of the FIGURE 7 knotter structure is as follows. With the carrier 384 in a raised position, at conclusion of the strand feeding operation the cylinder 408 is energized to quickly lower the carrier 384 and cut off the wire strand. Simultaneously with lowering of the carrier 384 the plungers 372 are powered upwardly by cylinder 368 so that the mandrel 374 is guided into the central opening 440 in each head 378. Rack 386 is then powered to rotate the various The lower end knotter heads 378 for causing the bending elements 376 to be rotated around the mandrels 374 to effect the knotting operations. Carrier 384 and plunger 372 are then powered apart to separate or strip the elements 374 and 376 from the knot. Elevator 288 (FIG. 5) is then lowered to lower the lower set of pleater elements so that the fabric-wire strand assembly is deposited onto the conveyor chains 70 for carryover to the next operating station.

The right knotter structure 369 shown in FIGURE 10 is similar to the left knotter in many respects, and similar reference numerals are therefore employed wherever applicable. In the FIGURE 10 construction a fluid cylinder 442 is mounted on a fixed support structure 444 with its piston rod 446 connected with a crosshead 448, said crosshead carrying a depending connector rod 450 which is linked at 452 to a pair of levers 454. The linkage 452 preferably comprises an elongated shaft 456 extending between the two levers 454, said levers being preferably located at opposite end portions of the knotter apparatus and being fulcrumed on an elongated shaft 460 carried by support structure 444. The two lever-s 454 are linked to an elongated shaft 462 which carries a bank of reciprocable plungers 372, each of the plungers carrying a mandrel and back-up pin similar to the corresponding elements of the FIGURE 7 structure. Each of the mandrels cooperates with a rotary knotter head 378 similar to the corresponding head in the FIGURE 7 construction. The various knotter heads are rotatably supported in a carrier 464 which is slidably mounted on face 445 of support structure 444. Carrier 464 is supported at its ends by the two rods 466 which depend from crosshead 448.

In operation of the FIGURE 10 construction, energization of the fluid cylinder 442 is effective to move rod 450 upwardly for downward retraction of the plungers 372; simultaneously the carrier 464 is drawn upwardly by the rods 466 to free the right end area of the fabric-wire strand article for movement by the conveyor chains 70. After a predetermined movement of the conveyor chains the cylinder 292 is energized to raise elevator 288. Thereafter piston rod 446 is powered downwardly to bring elements 378 and 372 together, and rack 386 is powered to effect a knotting operation of pin 376.

During the knotting operations the fabric panel is held in a pleated condition with the needles of course withdrawn. The wire strands 20 frictionally engage the burlap fibers and tend to hold the pleated form of the panel. Accordingly, after the inserted wire strands have been knotted, the fluid cylinder 216 is operated to allow the upper pleater elements to return to the position of FIGURES 11 and 12, the cylinder 292 is operated to lower the elevator 288 carrying the lower pleater ele ments to the position of FIGURE 11, and the strand reinforced panel is moved to a flattening or unpleating station which has the rubber-coated rolls 510. The panel is carried from the pleater to the unpleating station by the conveyor chains 70 during subsequent intermittent operation there-of. The rolls 510 flatten the pleated panel so that it assumes substantially the configuration shown in FIGURE 2. The flattening station is more fully described in our copending application, Serial No. 38,402.

Thereafter, the conveyor chains 70 transfer the panel through the space between the traveling strips 14 which are taken from supply rolls 30 and folded about the edges of the fabric panel by means of the folder structure 542. In FIGURE 3, the panel 12 is shown between the folder structures. Panel He is approximately at the unpleating or flattening station and panel 12d is in an intermediate position.

The stapling guns 634 in FIGURE 14 secure the folded strips to the edges of the reinforced panel, and thereafter the complete panel assembly is transferred to the point of discharge over the trap doors 670 and 672 which automatically open to deposit the panel assembly into a shipping carton.

The apparatus illustrated and described herein is operated so as to cut the fabric panels to length before pleating and insertion and knotting of the reinforcing strands. However, the panels could be cut to length after insertion and knotting of the strands. The shear blade 86 can be placed at the downstream end of the machine so that the severing of the individual panels occurs only after all of the other operations, pleating, strand insertion, knotting, unpleating, etc., have been completed. Apparatus as thus modified, in which the panels are severed as the last operation, is described in our co-pending application Serial No. 38,402. Accordingly, the piece of material into which the strands are inserted may be either the individual panels or the continuous web before it is severed into panels. Stated another way, the panels into which the strands are inserted may be either separate members already severed from the continuous web, or they may be unsevered and still an integral part of the web.

Whether the panels are severed before pleating, as illustrated and described, or as the final operation, the operation of the strand feeding and knotting apparatus will be the same.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. Strand bending mechanism comprising means defining a surface for receiving a strand, a mandrel projecting through and beyond said surface, a bending element adjacent said surface and movable around said mandrel to bend a portion of the strand around said mandrel, means for withdrawing said mandrel from its projecting position with respect to said surface, and means for re tracting said bending element away from said surface to disengage said bending element from said strand.

2. The combination comprising means defining a surface for receiving a strand, a presser element movable toward said surface to press the strand against said surface, a mandrel projecting from said surface adjacent the strand, a bending element adapted to extend adjacent the strand when said presser element is moved toward said surface, and means for rotating said presser element around said'mandrel to bend a portion of the strand around said mandrel.

3. Strand bending mechanism comprising means defining a support for receiving and supporting an end portion of a strand, a mandrel element projecting from said support closely adjacent said end portion of the strand, a rotary bending element movable around said mandrel element to bend said end portion of the strand, and a backup element for engaging and supporting the strand near said end portion thereof.

4. Strand knotting mechanism comprising means defining a surface for receiving a strand, a mandrel adapted to project through and beyond said surface, a carrier adjacent said surface, a bending element projecting from said carrier and movable around the mandrel to form a knot in the strand, means for withdrawing the mandrel from its projecting position with respect to said surface, and means for retracting the carrier away from said surface to disengage said bending element from the strand.

5. Strand knotting mechanism comprising means defining a surface for receiving a strand, a mandrel adapted to be advanced through and beyond said surface, a bending element adapted to be projected into overlapping relation with the advanced mandrel, and means for rotating the bending element around the mandrel while it overlaps said mandrel.

6. Strand knotting mechanism comprising means defining a surface for receiving a strand, a mandrel, a bending element, means for simultaneously moving said mandrel and bending element into overlapping relation with each other normal to said surface, and means for thereafter rotating the bending element around the mandrel to form a knot in the strand.

7. The combination comprising means defining a surface for receiving an undulatory strand, a presser element movable toward said surface to flatten the strand undulation, a mandrel adapted to be projected through said surface to extend adjacent the flattened strand, a bending element carried by said presser element in position to extend adjacent the strand when said presser element is moved toward said surface, and means for rotating said presser element around said mandrel to form a knot in the strand.

8. The combination comprising bed means defining a surface for receiving a strand, a carrier movable toward and away from an operative position adjacent said surface, a clamp operated by movement of the carrier to cooperate with the surface for gripping a strand, a mandrel movable through the surface to project therefrom, and a rotary bending element supported on the carrier for movement around the mandrel to knot the strand when the carrier is in operative position.

9. Strand bending mechanism comprising means defining a support for receiving and supporting an end portion of a strand, clamping means for clamping the strand adjacent said end portion thereof, a mandrel element projecting from said support closely adjacent said end portion of the strand, a rotary bending element movable around said mandrel element to bend said end portion of the strand, and a back-up element for engaging and supporting said strand near said end portion thereof.

10. The mechanism defined in claim 9, wherein said clamping means comprises a clamping element, and resilient means urging said clamping element toward said support to clamp said strand thereto with a yielding pressure.

11. Strand bending mechanism comprising a support for receiving and supporting an end portion of a strand, a movable structure supported for movement toward said support, a mandrel element projecting from said support toward said movable structure around which said end portion of the strand is to be bent, a bending element mounted for rotation on said movable structure in an are which surrounds said mandrel element when said movable structure is moved toward said support, means for moving said movable structure toward said support, and means for rotating said bending element around said mandrel element to bend said end portion of the strand.

12. Strand bending mechanism comprising a support for receiving and supporting an end portion of a strand, a movable structure supported for movement toward said support, clamping means on said movable structure for clamping the strand adjacent said end portion thereof to said support upon movement of said movable structure toward said support, a mandrel element projecting from said support toward said movable structure around which said end portion of the strand is to be bent, a bending element mounted for rotation on said movable structure in an arc which surrounds said mandrel element when said movable structure is moved toward said support, means for moving said movable structure toward said support, and means for rotating said bending element around said mandrel element to bend said end portion of the strand.

13. The mechanism defined in claim 12, wherein said clamping means comprises a clamping element mounted on said movable structure for movement toward and away from said support, and a spring urging said clamping element toward said support.

14. The mechanism defined in claim 13, wherein said clamping element is pivoted to said movable structure.

15. The mechanism defined in claim 12, wherein a back-up element projects from said support in spaced parallel relation with said mandrel element for engaging and supporting the strand near said end portion thereof.

16. The mechanism defined in claim 12, wherein said movable structure has means defining a recess for receiving said mandrel element upon movement of said movable structure toward said support.

17. The mechanism defined in claim 16, wherein said recess is surrounded by an annular surface opposed to said support to flatten the strand against said support 13 upon movement of said movable structure toward said support.

18. Strand bending mechanism comprising a support having spaced parallel, generally horizontal grooves in its top surface for receiving and supporting a plurality of strands, a movable structure supported above said support for vertical movement toward and away from said support, a mandrel element adjacent the end of each groove projecting upwardly therefrom and around which the end portions of the strands are to be bent, a bending element associated with each mandrel element, said bending elements being mounted on said movable structure and projecting downwardly therefrom for rotation in an arc which surrounds said mandrel element when said movable structure is moved toward said support, means for moving said movable tructure toward said support, means for rotating said bending elements around said mandrel elements to bend said end portions of said strands, and clamping means on said movable structure for clamping said strands in said grooves upon movement of said movable structure toward said support.

19. The mechanism defined in claim 18, wherein said clamping means comprises clamping elements pivotally mounted on said movable structure for movement toward and away from said support, and a spring urging each clamping element toward said support.

20. The mechanism defined in claim 19, wherein back up elements project upwardly from said support adjacent the ends aforesaid of said grooves in spaced parallel relation with said mandrel elements for engaging and supporting the strands near said end portions thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 898,424 9/1908 Bartlett 15332 3,039,498 6/1962 Bechtell 140-102 FOREIGN PATENTS 589,247 6/ 19 47 Great Britain.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. STRAND BENDING MECHANISM COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A SURFACE FOR RECEIVING A STRAND, A MANDREL PROJECTING THROUGH AND BEYOND SAID SURFACE, A BENDING ELEMENT ADJACENT SAID SURFACE AND MOVABLE AROUND SAID MANDREL TO BEND A PORTION OF THE STRAND AROUND SAID MANDREL, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING SAID MANDREL FROM ITS PROJECTING POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SURFACE, AND MEANS FOR RETRACTING SAID BENDING ELEMENT AWAY FROM SAID SURFACE TO DISENGAGE SAID BENDING ELEMENT FROM SAID STRAND. 